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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The court was told the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".